20 Places You Can Watch the World’s Most Beautiful Sunsets

Posted by Doug Murray on December 10, 2018

There’s something magical about a sunset. When the sky lights up in shades of red, pink and orange, you just have to look up and take it in. It’s almost as if it puts you under its spell, making you slow down for a few minutes to just be in the moment. Here are 20 places where you can watch the world’s most beautiful sunsets.

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Maasai Mara National Reserve, Kenya

Going on safari is one of those trips you have to take when you're young. The Maasai Mara National Reserve is one of the world’s top safari destinations and a place where you can see the African sunset in all its glory. Be near a watering hole as the sun goes down and your Instagram picture may very well feature giraffes, elephants or other animals too.

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Amazon River, South America

The Amazon River flows through Ecuador, Peru, Colombia and Brazil. Travelling along the world’s largest river is an adventure in itself, especially if you choose one of the more off-the-beaten-path cruises. The sight of the sun setting over the jungle and the reflection of the sky in the water is one you won’t easily forget.

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Avenue of the Baobabs, Madagascar

Baobabs are probably the most surreal trees in existence, looking like someone pulled them from the ground and put them back in, but upside down. They become even more surreal at sunset and there’s simply no better place to see them than at Madagascar’s Avenue of the Baobabs.

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Cairo, Egypt

Cairo is home to the Pyramids of Giza, one of the world’s most inspiring ancient places. While sunsets over these famous structures can be quite pretty, you’ll get even more Instagrammable photos if you take a cruise on the Nile and snap the silhouettes of the city’s many minarets. The sounds of the calls to prayer around this time will just add to the atmosphere.

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Santorini, Greece

There’s a scene at the end of the 1980s classic Shirley Valentine where the title character fulfils her dream of sitting on the beach at sunset, sipping wine. The setting was Santorini, one of the most popular of the Greek islands. Santorini is famous for its white buildings, but is also home to some of the best sunsets in Europe.

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Uluru, Australia

Uluru is considered the location of Earth’s solar plexus or power chakra, which makes it one of the most relaxing holiday spots to clear your head. No surprise then that it’s a very sacred Aboriginal site too. There’s another great reason why this is probably the best sunset in the world: as the sky changes colour, so does the rock itself, becoming a fiery red.

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Cappadocia, Turkey

The almost lunar landscape of the Cappadocia region is something you have to see at least once in your life. Come sunset, the best vantage point for admiring those fairy chimneys is from a hot air balloon. Afterwards, you can always retreat to your cave hotel.

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Singapore

It may be expensive, but Singapore is also one of the best countries to live and work abroad. You get an exciting mix of cultures, impossibly clean streets, a tropical climate and decent beaches. With its many high-rises, Singapore also boasts some of the most spectacular urban sunsets.

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Kerala, India

India’s Kerala state is located on the western side of the country, which means that you won’t have to look far to find some of the most beautiful sunsets in the world. Whether you watch the sun set while paddling the Kerala backwaters or you head to Fort Kochi beach, Kerala will give you an amazing sunset – and the picture of all pictures for your Instagram page.

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Rio de Janeiro, Brazil

Rio is more than just one of the best places to attend Carnival. With its beautiful beaches, it’s one of the destinations for sun worshippers. While at night, it becomes a party paradise. Don’t forget to appreciate the city during that in-between time though: sunset over Sugarloaf Mountain or the Christ the Redeemer statue is especially stunning.

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Venice, Italy

Venice is a beautiful city, day or night. It’s at sunset though that the combination of canals, architecture and gondolas allow the city to truly shine. This is probably the city’s most romantic hour and it’s no wonder that Venice is one of the world’s most memorable proposal destinations.

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Dubai, United Arab Emirates

Its reputation for great shopping and luxury makes Dubai one of the best destinations for a mother-daughter trip. Around sunset, though, you don’t want to be in a mall or a spa. Dubai is famous for its innovative architecture and the backdrop of a reddening sky really brings out the best in the buildings, like the Burj Al Arab.

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Zanzibar, Tanzania

Yes, you can photograph amazing sunsets over beaches in many places in the world, but where else will your picture likely include the distinctive shape of a dhow? After all, this is the time when Zanzibar’s fishermen come sailing home with the day’s catch.

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San Francisco, California

The Golden Gate Bridge is one of the world’s most breathtaking bridges. It’s even more spectacular to see this marvel of engineering as the sun goes down. Of course San Francisco’s famous fog might interfere with your plans, but this will just give you a different kind of amazing sunset.

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Cape Town, South Africa

Cape Town has plenty of spectacular spots from where to watch the sun set over the city and ocean. You can surf or kitesurf while you’re at it – or if you want something a little more relaxing, grab a bottle of local wine and head to the beach or the top of Signal Hill.

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Roatan, Honduras

One of the Bay Islands of Honduras, Roatan is considered one of the best places for Canadians to live abroad. It boasts pretty spectacular sunsets too. If you’re lucky, you may be able to spot dolphins at the same time.

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Matterhorn, Alps

The Matterhorn straddles the border between Switzerland and Italy and is one of Europe’s highest mountains. You can see a depiction of its distinctive shape on the packaging of a very popular chocolate bar, but seeing the real thing is something else. At sunset, the snow-capped peak takes on a pinkish hue that makes it look like something straight out of a Disney film.

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Banff National Park, Alberta

You’ve seen the pictures of the snow-capped peaks reflected in clear blue lakes. Add splashes of red courtesy of the sunset and you have the landscape of Banff National Park at its most gorgeous. Go in the summer so you can enjoy the scenery on some of the best hiking trails in Canada.

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Stonehenge, United Kingdom

If there’s ever been a place that changes from interesting to breathtaking as the sun goes down, it’s Stonehenge. The way that the rays of the sun fall on the ancient monoliths at sunset adds to their mystery. Can you hear the whispers of druids from long, long ago?

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Saskatoon, Saskatchewan

There isn’t such a thing as a mediocre sunset in Saskatoon. When Saskatchewan’s impossibly big skies turn red at the end of the day, they’re reflected on the water of the South Saskatchewan River and it becomes clear why Saskatoon is one of Canada’s most beautiful cities.